Compressible mop and wringer



April 19476 A. z. BENDAR 2,418,802

COMPRESSIBLE MOP ANJS WRINGER Original Filed J ne '5, '1940 Aer/rue Z BEND/1E. INVENT OR. I

m WW ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 8, 1947 UNITED ST" res Substitutedjor fapplication Serial No. 338,855 June 5,1940, This application 'Octeber 2, 1944,

Serial Nb. 556,727

i Claims. 1

\ this invention relates to a meaning evise.

' More particularly, 'the inve'rition relates to that type. of cleaning devise which may be used eitherfas a wet cleaning mop'or as adry cleaner, and which utilizes a cleaning element, such as a rubber sponge, which is compressible and norinally maintains 'an expa'ndedpreformed shape. The primary object bf the invention is to provide a devioe of this character which is novel, simple, inexpensive and easy to operate. 7

A further object is to provide a device of this character having ahandle and a cleaning 'el'eine'nt pivoted to the handle, together with means serving normally to maintain the cleaning element in desired position relative to the handle, and also actuable to oompress the meaning element as desired. v

A further object is to provide a device of this character with novel means for mounting a sponge cleaning element.

A further object is to provide a device of this character with a cleaning element having a large area thereof effective for use in cleaning.

A further object is to providea device of this character wherein the cleaning element is so ar:- ranged and positioned with respect to the parts which mount the same, that said cleaning element effectively constitutes a bumper or guard to prevent marring of furniture during use thereof.

Other objeets will be apparent from the deseriptiori "and appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view of the device in front elevation with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View of the device in side elevation, with the inoperative position of parts of the device illustrated in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and illustrating the parts in sponge compressing position. 7

Referring to the drawing, the numeral lll designates a handle which is preferably elongated and of substantially the same length as the handie of a conventional mop. ferrule "H is mounted on the end of the handle, and laterally projecting flanges 12 extend from the lower end of said ferrule. A rigid U-shaped frame has its base l3 centrally secured to the flanges l2, and has its ends l4 extending perpendicularly outwardly from base 13 in substantially parallel relation.

A cleaning element l5, preferably formed of a block of sponge rubber of a length substantially equal to the length of base l3 of the frame, and of substantial width but comparatively thin, is

mounted in a suitable carrier 16. The carrier 1'5 is preferably formed of sheet i'iie'tal andnaspne end thereof bent reversibly at ii in "s-shape'd or 'goosen'eck form. This reversibly bent p'o'r'tie'ii l l extends upwardly with respect to t e main body of carrier l5, and serves to elamp or gripbnelongitudirial'edge of the eiean-ing-mement lip the rier at H3. The main portion of "the carrier -is substantially concave-convex in form, and the rear portion thereof "is bent uovvriwai Y warclly in U -shape at 1 9 to-elamp or edge 2E] of the oleanlng element 15. (-3 the carrier "l3 ateanena thereof is '1) lug or ear 2%, and an elongated rod 22 serves "to 'pivotally connect said ears to the arms 14 "of the mounting frame I3. 0 v

A pair of brackets 23 are rieidly scureatt the frame is in equi-spaced relation to the renter thereof, and mount a bolt '24 by means of whioh a lever 25 is pivoted. to the handle. never zs has an end portion 26 bent angularly nner-strum and mounts a bolt 21 to which there are pivetally connected ears 28 of a curvedpressure plate- 29.

The pressure plate '25 is transversely 'cur 'ved in substantial conformity to the curvature of the face of the cleaning element. A spring' 'cli p 313 is carried by the handle adjacent the ferrule I l and serves to normally hold the lever 25 adjacent and substantially parallel to said handle.

If desired, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, the pressure plate 29 may be provided with a series of corrugations, said corrugations serving "to strengthen said plate and also to provide channels through which water may readily passwhile the plate is compressing a water la'den "sponge.

The operative position of the'par'ts is best illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the lever "25 issh'own as retained by the clamp 30 adjacent the handle l8. When in this position, the lever 25 serves -t'b urge the pressure plate 29 downwardly so that its forward and rear ends press against the perti'ons l! and E9 of the sponge carrier. In this way the pressure plate serves to hold the sponge carrier Hi a ainst tilting On its pivot ans 22.

When it is desired to compress the el'eaning 'element, the lever 25 is pivotedto shift'the pressure plate 29 to inoperative position as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thereupon the handle or the mop may be turned and tilted so that the cleaning element l5 and its carrier It will pivot about axis 22 and assume a position with cleaning element l5 juxtaposed to the pressure plate 29, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. For this 'purpbse the dimensions of the cleaning element I 5 and carrier l6 must be such with respect to the part of travel of the pressure plate 29 that said cleaning element may shift 180 degrees without interference from the pressure plate 29. It will readily be seen that the lever 25 can thereupon be operated to press the plate 29 against the sponge to extract water therefrom. Thereupon the lever can be released, the position of the mop changed to permit the cleaning element to swing to operative position and the lever 25 again returned to a position adjacent the handle and clamped at 30 for the purpose of urging plate 29 into operative relation to the carrier l6.

It will be apparent from the above that this device is exceedingly simple in construction and operation; that it requires no wringing rollers or the like; that a large effective area of cleaning element surface is exposed for use; that the cleaning element is solidly anchored to its carrier; and that the portion of the cleaning element which'is not accessible for use is exceedingly small. The upwardly and rearwardl directed S-bend ll of the carrier 16 assures that a substantial portion of the cleaning element 25 will project forwardly from the carrier I6 to serve as a bumper or guard, so that the danger of marring furniture is reduced to a minimum. This application is a substitute for my earlier patent application, Serial No. 338,855, filed June 4, 1940.

I claim:

1. A cleaning device comprising a handle, a frame carried by said handle, a carrier pivoted to said frame, a compressible cleaning element mounted on said carrier and normally positioned outwardly of said carrier, a lever pivoted to said handle, a pressure plate pivoted to said lever, and means for normally positioning said plate to bear against the inner portion of said carrier to maintain said carrier and cleaning element in operative relation to said handle, said plate being shiftable by said leverto a position clear of said carrier to accommodate pivoting of said carrier to a position with said cleaning element facing said plate.

2. A cleaning device comprising a handle, a cleaning element, a carrierfor said cleaning element pivoted to said handle, an element-oompressing member normally engaging the back of said carrier to operatively position the same, and means carried by said handle for mounting said member, said means being shiftable to a position clear of said carrier to accommodate pivotal movement of said carrier to a position with said cleaning element facing said member.

3.. A cleaning device comprising a handle, a

cleaning element, a curved carrier for said cleaning element pivoted to said handle, a plate curved in substantial conformity with the curvature of said carrier, a lever pivoted to said handle, said plate being pivotally mounted on said lever and normally bearing against the back of said carrier to hold said carrier stationary on said handle,

said lever being shiftable to position said plate clear of said carrier whereby said carrier may rotate to position said cleaning element in facing relation to said plate. 7

4. A cleaning device comprising a cleaning unit including a cleaning element and a carrier therefore, a presser plate of a shape complementary to the exposed face of said cleaning eleing element facing said plate to be compressed thereby, and means associated with said handle unit for releasably latching said plate in a position at the end of its path of travel in the direction of and in engagement with the back of said carrier.

5. A cleaning device comprising a handle, a cleaning element, a carrier for said cleaning element pivoted intermediate opposed margins thereof to said handle, an element-compressing member normally engaging the back of said carrier on opposite sides of its pivot axis to normally position the same, and means carried by said handle for mounting said member, said means being shiftable to a position clear of said carrier to accommodate pivotal movement of said carrier to a position with said cleaning element facing said member.

6.1A. cleaning device comprising a handle, a cleaning element, a carrier for said cleaning element pivoted intermediate opposed -margins thereof to said handle, an element-compressing member normally engaging the back of said carrier on opposite sides of its pivot axis to normally position the same, and means carried by said handle and pivotally mounting said compressing member intermediate the carrier-engaging portions thereof, said means being shiftable to position said member clear of said carrier to accommodate pivotal movement of said carrier to a position with said cleaning element facing said memher.

7. A cleaning device comprising a handle, a cleaning element, a carrier for said cleaning element pivoted to said handle, an element-compressin member normally engaging the back of said carrier to operatively position the same, and means carried by said handle for mounting said member, said compressing member being pivoted to said last named means intermediate the en'- gaging portions thereof about an axis substantially parallel to the pivot axis of said carrier, said means being shiftable to position said member clear of said carrier to accommodate pivotal movement of said carrier to a position with said cleaning element facing said member and interposed between said pivot axes.

ARTHUR Z. BENDAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Nu ber Name Date 2,093,101 Sendler Sept. 14, 1937 2,199,147 Bates Apr. 30, 1940 2,288,647 Reynolds July 7, 1942 2,153,601 Vaughn Apr. 11, 1939 2,222,368 Lux Nov. 19, 1940 2,251,384 Thomas Aug. 5, 1941 2,210,967 Vaughn Aug. 13, 1940 844,865 Hames Feb. 19, 1907 1,595,700 Backlind Aug. 10, 1926 1,823,690 Kootz Sept. 15, 1931 1,961,518 Larkin June 5, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 411,314 British June '7, 1934 2,504 British 1912 396,469 British Aug. 10, 1933 French Nov. 15, 1923 

